Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Bo Jinyan looks calmly at his friend whose face is red because of the gag.

It took a while for Fu Ziyu to calm down and manages to breath properly again.   He says: “You finally discovered.”

Bo Jinyan sweeps him a glance, his finger tapping on his trousers: “Sooner.. Later… Does it matter?”

Anyway, she belongs to him. 

Fu Ziyu looks at his proud friend…. He has always been a sore loser.  

But he is still very happy for the two of them.  After being in so many relationships himself, he knows that letting their relationship progress naturally is the best way forward.  Things like match making or forcing them to date would have been a waste of time. 

He lifts his glass: “Congratulations!”

Bo Jinyan lifts up his and they clink their glass together.

“Thank you.”

Fu Ziyu asks: “How are you going to confess your love for her?

Bo Jinyan: “I already have a plan.”

—————

The autumn night is brisk and cool.  

When Bo Jinyan gets back to the neighbourhood, it’s past 8:00pm.  He looks up to Jian Yao’s studio from the carpark.  There is no light coming from her window.  

He gives her a call.

Jian Yao is in Li Xunran’s car.  The others have gone back to the hostel.  Li Xunran is driving her home.  

“What’s up?” Jian Yao smiles as she answers his call.  Li Xunran is giving her a crafty smile.  

“When are you coming back?” Bo Jinyan asks in his rich masculine voice. “I have something to tell you,”

Jian Yao looks at the road sign they are passing, and answer: ”Within the hour.”

When a woman spends a lot of time with a man with low EQ, she will subconsciously rub off from him.  So even though Bo Jinyan said “I have something to tell you.”  in a gentle voice, it will be interpreted by Jian Yao as “I have some new thoughts on the case.” or “I am bored, come back so that I can talk to you.”

“Ok.” Bo Jinyan smiles. “I will come around to your studio later.”  

 “But…” Li Xunran is coming to my place too.  We have plans - Jian Yao didn’t get to finish her sentence.  Bo Jinyan has hung up.

Bo Jinyan looks at the row of shops on the opposite side of the street. One of them is a flower shop. It is still open for business.

He walks over.  Actually, it has just past their business hours and the shop assistant is about to close the shop.  She is happy to see a handsome man walks in.  She has a big smile on her face: “Hi there.  How can I help you?  We have some flowers selling at half price.”

“I don’t need any discount.” He answers.  He is standing in the middle of the shop.  His eyes are scanning through all the beautiful flowers there.  

…. Mmmm.. He knows nothing about flowers and flower languages.

He asks the shop assistant to tell him the meaning of all the flowers.

The shop assistant is stunned.  But she is quick on her feet.  She chooses about ten of the popular types of flower (which happens to be the most expensive ones of course)  and explains to him what they represent.  

When she gets to the moth orchids, the handsome man in the suit stops her: “This one please.”

The shop assistant has a huge smile on her face: “A good choice!”

Bo Jinyan takes the bouquet.  He has a smile on his face too.

The funny shaped little flowers have a beautiful meaning - 

I love you.  May happiness and blessing come to you.

——————-

It only took Jian Yao and Li Xunran half an hour to get back to her apartment. 

Li Xunran wants to visit a bar in town later.  So they decide to freshen up at Jian Yao’s studio first.  As for Bo Jinyan….  Well, she will tell him of their plans when she sees her.  Jian Yao thinks to herself.

And… it will be nice to see him.  She hasn’t seen him for a whole day.  She misses him.

Li Xunran wants to know more.

He comes out from the shower.  He is wearing a white singlet, showing off his well toned and shapely body.    He takes the towel Jian Yao passes to him.  He leans towards the sofa and dries his hair: “Tell me, are you a couple with Professor Bo yet? Will I be a getting an invitation to your wedding banquet soon?” 

  

Jian Yao blushes.

They are friends since childhood, there are no secrets between them.  Even though they don’t spend much time together nowadays, she knows in her heart that nothing will change their friendship.

She doesn’t hide it from him.  She is just shy about it. 

“We haven’t even started.”  She answers. “He only has room for work in his mind.” 

Li Xunran stops drying his hair and look at her sideways.   Jian Yao looks at him. He looks calm.  Soon, a smile appears on his face.  He ruffles her hair and says: “I have a feeling the two of you will be very happy together.”

It’s not often that he speaks such serious and sentimental words.  Jian Yao is very touched.  She smiles and answers: “Hope you are right.”

Both of them take a seat on the sofa.  Jian Yao tells Li Xunran about Bo Jinyan - the touching moment, the sweet moment, the tired moments, the frustration of not seeing the relationship going anywhere…

She also asks if Li Xunran has a girlfriend yet.  He just laughs: “I’m still young.  And it’s hard to find a woman who is hungry for love like you within the police force.”

Jian Yao laughs: “Hey! Stop hassling me.”  

At the end of the conversation, LI Xunran knows what is bothering her heart.  He says to her: “You want to know if Professor Bo is interested in you?  That’s easy.  When he comes afterwards, we will test him.  Let’s pretend there’s something between us.  Perhaps he will get jealous.  A conceited man like him needs a little provoking.”

But to his surprise.  Jian Yao shakes her head: “No.”

She knows Li Xunran means well.  But what if he is not interested in her and doesn’t care…

But this is not the mainreason. 

She doesn’t want to provoke him. She doesn’t want to force him into any action. She doesn’t want him to misunderstand.  She didn’t want him to feel uneasy.

She just wants things to progress naturally.  She doesn’t mind the wait.

She wants Bo Jinyan to feel comfortable about their relationship.

Li Xunran sees the look on her face.  He knows what is in her mind.  He sighs: “You are too nice to him!”

—————

At this time, Bo Jinyan is sitting on the sofa in his apartment.  He is holding the bunch of moth orchids in his hands.  Waiting.

It’s a still and silent night.  Stars are twinkling in the velvety black sky.  For Bo Jinyan, even the stars look brighter and nicer tonight.  He notices Chen Mo is slowly crawling out from under the sofa.  As he passes by, his shiny shell reflects the light from the ceiling. 

Bo Jinyan lifts his brows: “Come here.”

When Chen Mo is at his feet, Bo Jinyan looks at the moth orchids in his hand.  He chooses  the stem with the most beautiful flower on it, and threw the rest of on the sofa.  

He ties the flower on Chen Mo’s back with a small piece of string.

“Crawl.”

Chen Mo slowly moves, the flower gently sways as he crawls forward.

Bo Jinyan smiles.  There is a saying in Chinese: “Train an army for a thousand days for one day's battle.” 

- Chen Mo, this is your moment to shine!  Today, you are helping Bo Jinyan to confess his love, it’s a task that you will be proud of for the rest of your life.

He picks up the tortoise and opens the front door.

A brightly lit corridor.

Outside Jian Yao’s apartment.  Bo Jinyan is standing here for the second time today.    And Chen Mo is ‘in position’ not far away from Jian Yao’s door.

When she opens the door, he will bend down and kiss her.  

Then Chen Mo will come over with the flower, and he will give it to the woman he loves.

Good.  Perfect.

“Ding Dong… Ding Dong…”

Bo Jinyan has a half smile on his face.   He is resting one hand on the door frame, looking forward to see the person who is about to appear before him.

The door gradually opens.

A man in singlets and shorts is standing in front of him.  Bo Jinyan notices his tanned and toned chest.

The smile on his face freezes.

Even though Jian Yao asked Li Xunran not to ‘help’ her, Li is not really listening to her.  He says causally: ‘Professor Bo, how are you? Yao Yao is having a shower.  Would you like to come in first?”

• Yao Yao?  Who gave him permission to dress like that in her house?  And to call her Yao Yao?

Bo Jinyan sweeps him a glance, and walks in.

The door closes behind him.  The corridor is quiet once again.  The lights are still bright, but there is no one there anymore.  Except… for a tortoise, with a flower tied to his shell.

He who has a great responsibility… is forgotten by his master.

After a while, Chen Mo starts crawling towards the corner.  There’s a little hole there that looks like a great resting place for a tortoise. Then he heard some footsteps.  To ‘protect’ himself, Chen Mo decides to retreat back into its shell. 

A tall man appears in the corridor.  He is wearing a nicely ironed shirt, trousers and a pair black leather shoes.  He stands in front of Chen Mo.  He chuckles, then bends down and take the flower that’s tied to Chen Mo.  He puts the flower with soft purple petals in his hand.

He is wearing a pair of disposable latex gloves.  His long slender fingers crush the flower, then crumple it and throw it into the rubbish bin that is next to him.  

Then he turns around.  He looks down and sees Chen Mo in his way.  He does not hesitate to kick him to the corner.  

He starts humming a tune and disappears down the stairs. 

———-

Inside Jian Yao’s apartment.

Jian Yao comes out from the bathroom to see Li Xunran standing by the window with a smile on his face. And in the sofa, a tall man is sitting there in his suit.  

Even though Jian Yao is aware that Bo Jinyan likes wearing his suit, but during summer he seldom dresses so formally unless there is an important occasion.  

Not only is he dressed formally, he has a very solemn look on his face. 

Jian Yao asks: “You said you have something to tell me.  Is it related to the case?  Is it urgent?  I am planning to go out with Li Xunran tonight.” 

Bo Jinyan is quiet for a moment.

Jian Yao is wearing a long dress.  Her damp hair drapes over her shoulders.  She is looking at him with her sparkly eyes.  And Li Xunran is looking at him too.

LI Xunran.  Bo Jinyan remembers him.  He is the competent police officer.  He seems to be a good friend of Jian Yao’s.  But perhaps they are more than just friends?  Otherwise, based on Jian Yao’s personality, she will not let men dressed like that in her house at this time of the night.  

Hmmm….

He takes a look at Li Xunran, then turns to look at Jian Yao, and says to them: “Yao Yao’s friend is my friend.  Let’s all go together.”